Category: Festivals

If you’ve received a bouquet from that special someone this Valentine’s Day, or any other special occasion, you may be looking for ways to extend the gesture as long as possible. Just like hangover cures, there are many theories about the best method for keeping flowers fresh. I wanted to find out if one method…

Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a customizable algebraic equation. Meet Süss, a math widget after your own heart. (You can also visit the widget on its website here, which you might want to do if you’re reading this on a smartphone.) Like many geometric figures, a heart can be captured in all its curvaceous…

Sending love to others is easy. Being kind to yourself can be surprisingly difficult. Valentine’s Day prompts many of us to send messages of love to the special people in our lives. But I’d like to propose a new tradition. Why not use this day to start being kinder to ourselves? Being nice to yourself,…

Japanese women are rebelling against a decades-old Valentine’s Day tradition that obliges them to give chocolates to men. On February 14, the nation’s female workers are expected to give “giri choco,” or obligation chocolates, to their male colleagues. Women are also expected to buy heartfelt chocolates, “honmei choco,” for their crushes or loved one. “Valentine’s…

In 1774, Europe was infected with what was known as Werther Fever. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe had published his novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther,” about a young man hopelessly in love with a woman engaged to another man. So intense is his suffering at being apart from her that he kills himself. The book…

For some people, facing the onslaught of Valentine’s Day flowers, candy and marketing can be overwhelming if you are single. For Riya Patel, it’s a reason to celebrate love — platonic love — even by long distance. Welcome to the American phenomenon of Galentine’s Day, feted on February 13th — a “holiday” gaining in popularity…

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many Australians are hastily planning dinners, buying gifts and setting up dating partners. Singles, on the other hand, may be spending the day alone and feeling a little stressed and saddened by the annual event. But no matter whether you are single or in a relationship, there is a way…

US cities are offering free STD tests for Valentine’s Day to ensure that the only thing couples are sharing is love. Cities in Alaska, New Hampshire and South Carolina will be offering free testing for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and hepatitis C up to Thursday. Organizers say they’re hoping the events can break the stigma…

It seems romantics across the country are turning to Google for some Valentine’s Day inspiration ahead of the holiday, just days away. Valentine’s related searches, broken down state by state, show a degree of diversity with love poetry on the minds of some, while dating apps are on the minds of others. A map, created…

Valentine’s Day is typically a day in which couples declare their love for one another with gifts, cards and meals out. But how much is the average couple actually spending this February 14? Research from ME Bank has found that the majority of couples will spend just $50 or less on their significant other. The…